Jailed on Christmas Day

Tuesday 31 December 2019

A man had to be picked up by Guernsey Police on Christmas Day for behaving in a disorderly manner, after he smashed a glass over his own head in public.

It was about 20:20 on the evening of 25 December when police were called to attend a fight near the old White Hart building.

As officers were making their way down St Julian's Avenue they noticed Paul McCann, 32, outside the Swan pub.

They noticed he had a head wound and blood over his hands. When they asked why, the defendant told them he had smashed a glass over his head because he had been disrespected.

McCann, who had been drinking alcohol, became aggressive with the officers and started to walk away, shouting and swearing.

As a number of other members of the public were present, the police decided to arrest the defendant. He was held in custody until Boxing Day, when he was released on bail.

Pictured: The defendant was sentenced in the Magistrate's Court.

In his mitigation, Advocate Alan Merrien explained how the Christmas period had been particularly busy for McCann, who had been working as a chef in the island since November.

He said the defendant had spent his limited days out of work drinking alcohol and has since sought help from a local organisation.

"It seems that you know what the issue is and it's to your credit that you have taken steps to address that," Judge Graeme McKerrell told McCann on sentencing. "It seems to me that is going to stop me and you meeting in the future."

McCann was ordered to pay a £300 fine as an alternative to 15 days in prison, which he will have to serve if the money is not paid.

Pictured top: Les Nicolles prison.